Loading machine



Feb. 27, 1945. J. CLARKSON ETAL 2,370,147

' LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 a N N Mw M 5 AITJw/I T l oh 0M0 an m w .ml W h 0 0 H 0 1/00 O mm 0 I II J 0 ww .0 v 0 b e .n o E b o o o o WL An N qnn l h L 4 t w A Y 5 Feb 1945- J. L. CLARKSONVET AL LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 Shee ts-Sheet 2 INVENTORS; (JOHN L. CLARKSON, ALLTON aunomsoxv MM ATTORNEYS Feb. 27, 1945. "J. L. CLARKSON Em. 2,370,147

LOADING MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet s I l l I I i l {I N 2 l 9 X 1/ I: R N ws I i N ,M

{W g 1 O v INVNTOR5,- 4 (JOHN 1.. cmmrsp/v. AQHO O ALLTONBUAOKSON '0 BY M44 ATTORNEYS from the race being Patented Feb. 27, 1945" UNITED STATESHPATENT' orrlcs application August 2', 1940. an. no.

Original 349,488; Divided and this 1942, Serial No. 440,588

application April 27,

a cum. (01. 198-8) Thisinvention pertains to loading machines and more particularly to the type of machine ordinarily used in coal mines for gathering coal worked and 10a the same on the mine cars. A particular i' ture of this invention is the structure of such a machine adapted to operate in low veins, many of which are. not over thirty-six inches in height. This application is a division of application Serial No. 349,488, filed August 2, 1940, in which application the novel features of the main structure and the delivery conveyor are claimed.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a loader structure which will operate in such a low vein, but which will have ample power and gathering ability to handle a large tonnage.

Another object of this such a loader structure as to be able to gather over a widespace and deliver the same to positioned in practically wa cars to the loading machine.- any y wth reference Arriltilther object is mac me having improved driving means f front conveyor and gathering devices. or its Another object is to provide mean to prevent mphsmofmmaterl'lial from being thrown by the e sue a menu operator! I er as to endanger the Further objects will appearirom th e folio ing description taken in connection with the acg ciimpanjying drawings, in which: I gure s a plan view partly in section of th forward end of a loadin I 6 this invention; g machine embodying Figure 2 is a side elevation of F1 gure l;

Figure 2a 1s a detail illustrating the operation invention is to provide which will be flexible so of the lump-breaking device;

Figure 3 i a'plan view part] .i rear end of the machine; y n section of the Figure 4 is a side elevation of Fi gure 3; Figur 5 is an enlarged side view partly in sec- "to provide such a loading material from any point pair or gathering chains 4, equipped with gathering arms. or pick: 5. The gatherin devices. are adapted to gather material from in front of the machine, and, after passing the same over the shoe 8, to deliver it to an elevating conveyor I.

The conveyor I terminates at its rear end at 8 over the forward end 9 of a' delivery conveyor, indicated generally at it. The conveyor l0 extends rerrwardiyover the carriage. I. This delivery cunveyor is sectionalized. The front end portion I is fixed upon the bracket 2, and is therefore stationary. An intermediate section II is pivoted at its front end at II for vertical swinging motion with respect to the stationary part. an alter section II is joined to the section II for both vertical and horizontal swinging movements. v I

The forward conveyor 2 is mounted ,on the bracket 2 for both vertical and horizontal swinging movements in order that its front and may be moved in any position, relative to the carriage I, so'that material may begather'ed from any point. In order to provide'fo'r such vertical and horizontal movement,- and'pat the same time, to keep the machine low enough to operate in such a low vein as above mentioned, the following structure is provided:

The bracket 2 may be in the form of a cast- 30 ing and is provided with an upper portion I4 tion showing the driving connections for the forwag-id conveyor; and

gure 6 is a sectional detail of a art f 4 illustrating another p 0 Figure venflon. k embodiment of the in- Referring now to the drawin gs. them selected for illustration in the drawings c o in n prises a carriage, indicated generally at; I.

at its to ard end gathering and a lower portion l5. These two portions are spaced apart so as to receive upper and lower bearing members l6 and I1, respectively. These members may be secured to the bracket 2 in any,

suitable manner as by bolts l8 and I9, shown in Figure 5. The bearing members i6 and I1 provide respectively upper and lower swivel bear lugs for a swinging bracket 20. This bracket has a swivel bearing on the member is at 2i and on.

the member I! at 22. The swinging bracket 20 maybe provided with rollers 23, arranged to roll upon a rail 24 extending circularly around the forward end of the bracket 2. The swinging bracket 20 has the duty of carrying the weight of the front conveyor'3 and of providing a swinging pivot therefor. It thus provides verticallyspaced swivel bearing portions 2! and 22, together with the supporting rail 24 upon which the bracket may roll from one angular position to another. A head bracket 25 for the conveyor 2 is fixed upon the swinging bracket 20. The

front conveyor boom is pivoted upon the bracket 25 at 26 for ,vertical swinging movement.

In order to drive the front conveyor, the drivmeans. including a u ins connections illustrated in section in Figure 5 are provided. A driving motor, not shown in the drawings, is mounted upon the carriage I and connected, as will now be described, to drive the conveyor I. The same motor may also, if desired, be connected to propel the carriage I.

The motor is connected by any suitable driving connections, not shown, to drive a vertical shaft ll, suitably joumaled in the bracket 2. A gear 32 on the shaft 3| drives an idler gear 33, which in turn drives a gear 34 on a shaft I5. The shaft 35 is journaled in the bearing members I6 and I1. Accordingly, the gear 34 rotates on the same axis on which the swinging bracket 20 pivots. By this arrangement the drive is carried through the gear 34 to the conveyor 1 and the gathering devices in any position of the bracket 20. Meshing with the gear 34 is another idler gear 36, which drives a gear" on a'vertical shaft 88 joumaled in the forward end of the bracket 2|]. The shaft 38 carries a bevel gear 38 meshing with a corresponding gear 40 carried by a horizontal shaft 4| journaled in the bracket '25. The shaft 4| carries a sprocket 42, connected by a chain 43 to a similar sprocket 44 on the pivot shaft 28, which drives the conveyor 1. This drive may be carried out by means of a sprocket 45 on the shaft 16 and a chain 46, passing over suitable guide sprockets to a sprocket 41 on a cross-shaft 48 extending across the conveyor boom 3. The haft 48 carries at each end thereof a sprocket 4s, and these sprocketsare'connected by chains Bl to sprockets ii onshafts 52 which drive the gathering devices 4, 5. This drive for the gathering devices may be similar to that described in Patent No. 1,904,355, issued to John L. Clarkson on April 18, 1933.

In order to elevate the boom 3 of the front conasmuv conveyor, they travel at a speed preferably a little slower than that of the conveyor I. As they turn outwardly around the sprocket II, the chain continues to travel at the same linear velocity. However, the picks extend outwardly from the chain and their tips may move at a radius equal to donble that of the sprocket, or more. Accordingly. during this portion of their movement the tips of the picks whip around thi sprocket at a high velocity. If a pick happens to have a lump of materiallodged thereagainst during its upward travel, it sometimes happens that the lump does not fall back on the conveyor 1 but is retained in the embrace of the pick until the latter moves around the sprocket 62. When this happens, there is a likelihood that the sudden increase in speed will cause the pick to throw the lump of material of! the conveyor, sometimes with great force. This is often dangerous to the operator. In order to avoid this action, there is provided adjacent the path of the pick where it passes around the sprocket 82 a deflecting or breaking element 83.

This may be in the form of a rib or fln, as shown lump will engage the element I3 and will either veyor, a pair of hydraulic Jacks i3 is provided,

able hydraulic pump, circulating a pressure fluid such as oil, may be connected to supply the jacks 53. As these hydraulic connections may be of any suitable type well known in the art, they are not illustrated in the drawings. In order to swing the boom 3 laterally in its swivel bearings 2| and 22, cables 58 are provided, passing in opposite directions around a curved flange 59 on the bracket 20 and lying in grooves II in said flange, and anchored in ears I on said bracket 20. The other ends of these cables, after passing over suitable guide pulleys. are connected to hydraulic jacks operable to haul in on one cable while paying out the other so as to swing the boom. As this mechanism is not a part of the present invention, it is not shown in complete detail in the drawings.

The gathering mechanism, illustrated at 4 and 5, may be similar to that described in the abovementioned patent. This comprises a pair of chains 4 passing over upper and lower sprockets 62 and 62a, respectively, so that the gathering arms or picks 5 move in orbital paths. This movement is inward toward the middle of the conveyor at the lower end of such path, then upward along the conveyor, and then around the upper sprocket 62 to the return path. As the picks 5 move outwardly away from the conveyor 1 in turning about the upper sprocket 62, their points may undergo a sudden increase in velocity; that is, as the picks move upwardly along the inner straight portion of their paths along the be deflected so as to fall back on the conveyor, or will be crushed or broken by the mutual action of the'elements 5 and '68. This tends to avoid throwing larg lumps of material oi the conveyor.

The delivery conveyor is arranged in three sections. The front section 0 is fixed on the bracket 2, as already pointed out, and has hinged thereto at I2 an intermediate section II. In order to provide fOr both horizontal and vertical swinging movement of the after section I 8, the structure shown in Figures 3, 4, and 8 is provided. The intermediate section II carries a bracket 65, having a pivot bearing 68 adapted to receive a pivot pin 61. swiveled on the pin 01 is a bracket 68, which has secured thereto a member 69 which extends forwardly of the pin l1 and terminates at its forward end in an arcuate edge 10 which lies flush with the floor of the section I I adjacent a concave arcuate edge II on said floor. The arcs of the edges 10 and II are concentric with the pinthe pin 6'! provides a swivel connection for swinging the after section II horizontally, while the pivots 13 provide a hinged joint for swinging said after section vertically.

The rear end of the section II is supported by a hoisting device, shown in the form of a hydraulic cylinder I4. The extensible upper end of this device is pivoted to the lower portion of the bracket 68. The lower part of the cylinder 14 has trunnions I1 resting in a movable bracket 19 which is swiveled on a rearwardly-extending supporting bracket 8| on the carriage I. The bracket 19, in addition to being swiveled, may be provided with rollers adapted to run on a circular track 83 on the bracket 8|. The latter bracket is provided 7 asrawr with an arcuate-opening ll, through which the lower end of the cylinder N extends in order to The lateral swinging movement of the after section is accomplished by means of a pair of hydraulic jacks 95, one on each side or the pivot pin 61. Each of these jacks is mounted by means of trunnions, engaging sockets in the bracket 88 of the swiveled member. I The other end of each of these jacks is pivoted at II to suitable ears I onthe bracket 65. These jacks are operated-in opposite directions, 1. e., one is retracted while the other is extended, in order to swing the after section to one side or the other.

A suitable hydraulic pump and a suitable system of piping for the pressure fluid, together with suitable control valves for operating the several jacks in the desired manner; are provided. These have not been illustrated, however, as they may be of any suitable construction; well-known in the art.

The conveyor chain which forms the moving element of the delivery conveyor, comprising the sections 9, H, and i3, may be of the single chain type, comprising a chain 88, which is flexible in two directions and which has mounted thereon a series of transverse flights 89. said flights being mounted at their middle points on the chain 88. In order that this movable chain may move easily around lateral curves when the section II is swung horizontally, the sections ii and II are carriage. while. at the same time. permitting the side swing or the boom 8.

The delivery conveyor is solidly supported at its front end and arranged for elevation of its intermediate section at the rear end thereof. Ac-- cordingly, when operating in entries of normal height, this end may be elevated to reach any type of mine car. The arrangement, by which the after section It may swivel as well. as swing vertically, provides forloading cars which may of necessity be placed laterally with respect to the carriage and at any relative elevation.

While the invention has been described as embodied in a unitary structure, it will be understood that individual features or sub-combinations thereof may be useful by themselves without reference to other features or the complete combination; and it is understood that the employment of such individual features or sub-combinations is contemplated by this invention when within the scope of the appended claims.

provided with side flanges 90 and 9|, respectively.

Arranged to span the swiveled member are two flexible flange sections 92. which are secured to the flanges 9i and extend forwardly so as to pass lust outside of the flanges 90, as will be seen in Figure 3. Guides 93, secured to the flanges 3!, hold the ends of the flexible sections 92 in place at the ends of the flanges 80 during the lateral swinging movement of the section IS. The sections 92 may be constructed of spring steel or similar resilient material, so that they will form themselves into smooth curves, as indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3 when the section 43 is swung to one side. Thus, the section 92, which is on the inside of the curve, provides a guide over which the flights 89 may slide in making the turn.

In place of the mounting of the hoisting device as described, the cylinder 14 may be mounted for uniform movemenfon a ball-and-socket joint, as indicated at 96 in Figure 6.

It will be seen, therefore, that this invention accomplishes its objects in providing a loading machine of this character, which may be built low enough to operate in low veins of coal, or the like, but which is still flexible and capable of operating in any other situation. The front portion-of the machine, including the conveyor 3 and its gathering devices, is strongly supported upon the carriage, while, at the same time, it is low in height. The arrangement offlat gears lying horizontally upon a low bracket provides for driving connections running forwardly a comparatively long distance without occupying the height that upstanding gears or bevel gears would occupy. The front conveyor is swiveled on th carriage by means of the members I 6 and I! in such a way as to be adequately supported by vertically spaced bearings. These are capable of sustaining a great weight suspended in cantilever relation to the It is further understood that various changes may be made in the details of construction within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of this invention, and that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown and described.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

1. In a loading machine for operation in low entries, a traveling carriage, a long supporting structure extending forwardly from said carriage at a low level, a front conveyor mounted at the forward end of said structure, said conveyor having movable material-handling means, driving means on said carriage, a train of gearing having small vertical height operating on upright axes and lying substantially in a single plane extending along said supporting structure, and driving connections from said driving means to said train and from said train to said material-handling means to drive the latter.

2. In a loading machine for operation in low entries, a traveling carriage, a long supporting structure extending forwardly from said carriage at a low level, a front conveyor mounted at the forward end of said structure, said conveyor having movable materiaLhandling means. driving means on said carriage, said supporting struc- 'pivot bearings engaging said pivoted supporting member and secured to said structure to pivotaliy mount the former on the latter, and a train of gearing operating substantially in a single plane between said upper and lower portions on upright axes and providing driving connections between said driving means and said material-handling means.

3. In a loading machine for operation in low entries, a traveling carriage, a long supporting bracket at a low level. a front conveyor mounted on, and extending forwardly from said bracket, said conveyor having movable material-handling means. driving means on said carriage, a train of flat gears operating on upright axes extending along said bracket from said carriage to said conveyor, and driving connections from said driving means to said train and from said train to said materialhandling means to drive the latter.

4. In a loading machine for operation in low extending forwardly from said carriage entries, a traveling carriage, 'along supporting bracket extending forwardly from said carriage at a low level, a front conveyor pivoted on, and extending forwardly from said bracket, said'conveyor having movable material-handling means. driving means on said carriage, a train of flat gears operating on upright axes one of which is the pivot axis of said conveyor, said train extending along said bracket from said carriage to said conveyor, and driving connections from said driving means to said train and from saidtrain to said material-handling means to drive the latter.

5. In a loading machine for operation in low entries, a traveling carriage, a long supporting bracket extending forwardly from said carriage at a low level, said bracket having upper and lower portions providing vertically spaced 'pivot bearings, a pivoted member having complementary pivot means engaging said pivot bearings and extending forwardly therefrom in cantilever relation to said bracket, and a front conveyor carried by the forward portion of said pivoted member.

6. In a loading'machine for operation in low entries, a traveling carriage, a long supporting bracket extending forwardly from said carriage at a low level, said bracket having closely spaced upper and lower portion; providing vertically spaced pivot bearings, a pivoted member having complementary pivot means engaging said pivot bearings and extending forwardly therefrom in cantilever relation to said bracket, a front conveyor carried by the forward portion of said pivoted member, said conveyor having movable material-handling means, driving means on said carriage, a train of flat gears operating on upright axes one of which is the axis of said pivot bear ings, said train extending along said bracket between said upper and lower portions from said carriage to said conveyor, and driving connections from said driving means to said train and from said train to said material-handling means to drive the latter.

JOHN L. CLARKSON. ALLTON B. JACKSON. 

